The Directorate of School Education, West Bengal has released the notice for the Central Sector National Means-Cum-Merit Scholarship Examination (NMMSE) 2026, for students currently studying in Class VIII. Full details are in the official NMMSE 2026 notice. Online applications open on 28 July 2026 and close on 16 September 2026, at the School Education Department’s Scholarship Portal. The NMMS Scholarship is meant for meritorious students from families with a limited annual income.
West Bengal has a state quota of 7,250 scholarships under NMMSE, segregated across 25 districts. The examination will be held on 20 December 2026 at centres across the state. Eligibility depends on the school type, marks in Class VII, and parental income — a full breakdown is given below. Candidates should check all details in the article below.
Information verified from the official Directorate of School Education, West Bengal notice on the Central Sector NMMS Scholarship Examination, 2026, published on the School Education Department’s Scholarship Portal. Last verified: 28 July 2026.
The Directorate of School Education, West Bengal is inviting online applications for the Central Sector National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Examination (NMMSE) 2026, for students studying in Class VIII. Applications open on 28 July 2026 and close on 16 September 2026 at the School Education Department’s Scholarship Portal (banglarshiksha.wb.gov.in/scholarships). The examination will be held on 20 December 2026 at centres across West Bengal, and the state government charges no application fee.
Quick summary of WB NMMS Scholarship 2026
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Examination | Central Sector National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Examination (NMMSE) 2026 |
| Class | Class VIII |
| Conducting body | Directorate of School Education, West Bengal |
| Application mode | Online |
| Application start date | 28 July 2026 |
| Last date to apply | 16 September 2026 |
| Examination date | 20 December 2026 |
| Eligibility (one line) | Class VIII students in Govt/Govt-aided/Local Body/Govt-sponsored schools (incl. Madrasah) in West Bengal, without residential facility, 55%+ marks in Class VII (5% relaxation for SC/ST/Disabled), family income up to ₹3,50,000/year |
| Application fee | Nil |
| State quota (WB) | 7,250 across 25 districts |
| Official website | banglarshiksha.wb.gov.in/scholarships |
About the scholarship
The Central Sector National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship (NMMS) is a scheme funded by the Government of India and run through the states. This is added context, not part of the official notification; confirm with the official website. In West Bengal, the Directorate of School Education conducts the entrance examination and issues scholarships to students who qualify. The scheme is aimed at academically strong students from families with limited income, so they can continue their education without dropping out at the Class VIII stage.
Local context: the Siliguri and Barrackpore district rule
West Bengal now has two separate Educational Districts in addition to its 23 administrative districts: Barrackpore Education District (covering the Barrackpore and Bidhannagar sub-divisions) and Siliguri Education District (covering the Siliguri sub-division). This matters directly for readers in and around Darjeeling.
According to the notice, a student whose school falls under the Siliguri sub-division must select “Siliguri” as the district in the application form — not Darjeeling. Similarly, a student under the Barrackpore or Bidhannagar (Salt Lake) sub-division must choose “Barrackpore,” not North 24 Parganas or Kolkata. In every case, the district selected must match where the school is located, not where the student lives. Choosing the wrong district could place the application in the wrong district’s quota.
Important dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Online application starts | 28 July 2026 |
| Last date to submit application | 16 September 2026 |
| Examination date | 20 December 2026 |
| Admit card | Not yet announced — will be notified on the Scholarship Portal’s Notice section |
Eligibility
A candidate must meet all of the following to apply:
- Currently studying in Class VIII
- Enrolled in a recognised Government, Government-Aided, Local Body, or Government-Sponsored school (including Madrasahs) in West Bengal
- The school must be without a residential facility
- Scored 55% or more marks in the Class VII final examination (5% relaxation for SC, ST, and Disabled candidates)
- Family’s parental income from all sources must be within ₹3,50,000 per annum
Not eligible, regardless of marks or income:
- Students of Kendriya Vidyalaya
- Students of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya
- Students of State Government-run residential schools
- Students of any private school
Documents required
- Filled-in application form and certificate format (printed after online registration)
- Certificate signed by the Head of the School/Institution, with the official seal
- Parental annual income certificate for the period 01.04.2025 to 31.03.2026:
- If a parent is salaried in a Government/Semi-Government/Government-Aided organisation — an Employer Certificate
- For all others — a certificate from a competent authority not below the rank of Joint BDO / Executive Officer (in Corporation/Municipality areas) or a Group A officer
- Caste Certificate from a Competent Authority (where applicable)
- Disability Certificate, for 40% and above disability, certified by the Competent Medical Board of the State/Central Government (where applicable)
- Photograph in JPG format, size 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm, maximum 50 KB
- Each scanned document (PDF) must be under 200 KB
- Bank account in the candidate’s own name — single, or joint with the candidate as first holder — in SBI, another Public Sector Bank, or any scheduled bank with core banking facility, seeded with Aadhaar if the candidate holds one
The application is complete only after the signed certificate and all required documents are uploaded. An incomplete upload leads to cancellation of the candidature.
Examination pattern
NMMSE 2026 is held in two sessions on the same day:
| Test | Type | Marks | No. of items | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mental Ability Test | Objective/MCQ | 90 | 90 | 90 minutes |
| Scholastic Aptitude Test | Objective/MCQ | 90 | 90 | 90 minutes |
- Total marks: 180. Each question carries 1 mark, and there is no negative marking.
- Extra time is given to children with disability, as applicable.
- There is no prescribed syllabus — the difficulty level of items matches the Class VII and Class VIII standard.
- The Scholastic Aptitude Test covers: Mathematics, Physical Science, Life Science, History, and Geography.
Selection process
Selection runs against the state quota, in this order:
- Candidates appear for the Mental Ability Test and Scholastic Aptitude Test on the exam date.
- A merit list is prepared against the state quota of 7,250, divided across the 25 districts (23 administrative districts plus Barrackpore and Siliguri Education Districts).
- In case of a tie at the last qualifying cut-off mark, preference goes by date of birth — junior to senior — within the applicable district and state quota.
- Candidature, or a scholarship already granted, can be cancelled at any stage without reference if false information is found in the application, or if a selected candidate is later found to have studied in a private school or a school affiliated to a different education board.
- The decision of the Authority is final in case of any dispute or doubt.
Application fee
The West Bengal State Government does not charge any fee for the NMMSE 2026 application or examination.
How to apply for NMMS Scholarship
- Visit the School Education Department’s Scholarship Portal and open the NMMSE 2026 online registration page. The window is open from 28 July 2026 to 16 September 2026.
- Register using the candidate’s Banglarshiksha Student ID, name, father’s/guardian’s name, gender, date of birth, email ID, and mobile number, and set two security questions and a password.
- Log in and fill the complete online application form, selecting the correct educational district (see the local-context section above for the Siliguri and Barrackpore rule).
- Print the filled-in application form and the certificate format generated by the portal.
- Get the certificate signed by the Head of the School/Institution, with the official seal.
- Scan the signed certificate along with the parental income certificate, caste certificate (if applicable), and disability certificate (if applicable) — each file under 200 KB — and the photograph under 50 KB in JPG format.
- Upload all documents to the candidate’s account on the portal. The application is complete only after this step.
- Watch the registered email and the SMS on the registered mobile number for updates on acceptance or rejection of the application.
Documents to keep ready
- Class VII final examination mark sheet
- Parental income certificate (matching the required period and issuing authority)
- Caste Certificate, if applicable
- Disability Certificate, if applicable
- A JPG photograph sized 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm, under 50 KB
- Bank account details (Aadhaar-seeded, if the candidate has an Aadhaar card)
Important links
| Link | Details |
|---|---|
| Official NMMSE 2026 notice (PDF) | Full instructions from the Directorate of School Education, West Bengal |
| Apply online — NMMSE 2026 registration | Direct registration page on the Scholarship Portal |
| School Education Department Scholarship Portal | For admit card and further notices |
| Previous/sample NMMSE question papers | Official question paper page |
| More scholarship updates on India Job Alerts | Other current scholarship notices |
| West Bengal government job and scholarship updates | State-wide notices |
| Photo & Signature Resizer | Useful for the 3.5 x 4.5 cm, 50 KB photo requirement |
| PDF Compressor | Useful to bring scanned certificates under 200 KB |
Should you apply?
This scholarship suits a Class VIII student in a government, government-aided, local body, or government-sponsored school (including a Madrasah) in West Bengal, from a family with limited income, who scored well in the Class VII final exam. It is a genuine no-fee opportunity, but the eligibility line is strict: private school students, Kendriya Vidyalaya and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya students, and students of state-run residential schools cannot apply at all, regardless of marks or income. The ₹3.5 lakh income ceiling and the specific certificates required mean families need the paperwork ready well before 16 September 2026.
This is added context, not part of the official notification; confirm with the official website. With a fixed state quota of 7,250 across 25 districts, how competitive the exam is will vary by district — clearing the eligibility bar does not by itself guarantee selection.
FAQs
What is the last date to apply for NMMS Scholarship 2026 in West Bengal?
The last date to submit the online application for NMMSE 2026 is 16 September 2026, at the School Education Department’s Scholarship Portal. Applications opened on 28 July 2026.
Who is eligible for NMMS Scholarship 2026 for Class VIII?
Class VIII students in a government, government-aided, local body, or government-sponsored school (including Madrasahs) in West Bengal, without a residential facility, who scored 55% or more in Class VII (5% relaxation for SC/ST/Disabled candidates) and whose family income is within ₹3,50,000 a year.
Is there any application fee for NMMSE 2026 in West Bengal?
No. The West Bengal State Government does not charge any fee for the NMMSE 2026 application or examination.
What happens after qualifying the NMMS scholarship exam?
This is added context, not part of the official notice; confirm with the official website. Under the central NMMS scheme, students who qualify are generally expected to receive the scholarship for their remaining school years, subject to renewal conditions such as minimum marks each year. The exact amount and renewal terms for the 2026 cycle are not given in this West Bengal notice — check the official portal for updates.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sandeep Khati is the founder of India Job Alerts and a B.Tech in Computer Science from JGEC (2010). He started his career as a Systems Engineer at TCS and has been active in digital publishing since 2011, beginning with SearchDarjeeling.com(2011) and working as a web developer and designer at Darjeeling Informatics. Launched in April 2025, India Job Alerts is his most focused project — dedicated to publishing verified government and PSU job notifications for West Bengal, Sikkim, and All-India candidates. Every post is cross-checked against official notifications before publishing.. Know more